We have been honored once again to have a couple of parents share their valuable time with our children and talk about what they do in our community. A very special thank you to Dr. Alice Hursh (mom to Everly) for coming to visit Ms. Julia’s class to talk about keeping healthy and Prof. David Wilson (dad to Christian) for coming to talk about Biomedical Engineering to our Anchor Point students.

Congratulations to the winners of our beautiful handmade quilts from our Quilt raffle draw! Thank you to everyone else who donated to support the Students’ Enrichment Fund. We made  a total of $245 from the Raffle!

Thank you as well to the families and students who participated in our Childcare Fundraiser this evening at North Creek and collected a total of $275! Your support was deeply appreciated. Special thanks to our elementary volunteers Isabella, Marie-Claire, Mina, Neo, Ruochen, and Sabine for helping with the supervision. We had fun and hope parents had their special time too!

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,
The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori

GENERAL NOTICES
Upcoming Dates to Remember
May 31, June 7, 14, 21 | Tennis Lessons
June 9 | Parent/Teacher Conference
June 16 | Father’s Day/End-of-Year Picnic
June 21 | Graduation

Dress for the Weather Reminder: Things are heating up! With sunnier days upon us, our opportunities for walks and outdoor time are improving. Please prepare for the weather by applying sunscreen before school, and sending your child/ren with bottled water to keep them hydrated, a hat and sunglasses, as well as lighter layers/spring jackets. Elementary children can bring sunscreen if you would like them to reapply before afternoon walks.

June 9 | Parent/Teacher Conference: Our Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place on Friday, June 9th.  Please note that there is no school for the children on that day. Sign-up sheets have been posted at North Creek and Anchor Point doors to book your appointment. If you need to reschedule, please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s teachers.

June 16 | 10am to 1pm | Father’s Day/End-of-Year Picnic @ Ceperley Picnic Area in Stanley Park: As the end of the school year is approaching, we would like to confirm the date for Father’s Day and End-of-Year picnic celebrations. School will not be in session on this day. Please be prepared for outdoor fun and games. Details will be posted by the school door. This year, our potluck picnic will carry the theme: “Culture and Diversity”. Please sign-up and prepare a dish or specialty that relates to your family background or has a special meaning to your cultural identity.

June 21 | Graduation Celebration: The ceremony for children graduating from Kindergarten and Grade 7 will be at North Creek and Anchor Point respectively. Kindergarten graduation will be at 2:45 PM at North Creek and Grade 7 graduation will be at 2:00 PM at Anchor Point. Parents and family of the graduates are invited.

ELEMENTARY & ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY
May 31, June 7, 14, 21 | Tennis Lessons: Elementary students will participate in Tennis Lessons on Wednesdays starting on May 31st at 1:00 – 3:00 PM at David Lam Park, East Tennis Courts. The school has tennis racquets available but students are also welcome to bring their own. Kindly dress your child appropriately with runners and active wear on tennis days.

Lulu Island and Outdoor Excursions: Third year students will be joining our last Lulu Island excursion will be on Monday, June 5th (weather permitting). Please ensure your child(ren) come to school that day with his/her compass card. In addition, they will also be enjoying outdoor excursions every Friday (weather permitting).

HEALTHY SNACK REMINDER: Active and engaged students do better eating wholesome foods, please refrain from sending sugary or highly processed foods to school

CASA COMMUNITY (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY/KINDERGARTEN)
Extended-day/ Kindergarten Students: Please remember to bring a water bottle to refill at school on days when we have a “Going-Outs” event. You will need to carry one with you on our trips!

Scooter & Bicycle Storage: Due to safety regulation and space limitation in our interior space, the school cannot store or keep scooters and bicycles inside the classroom. If your child has these forms of transportation when coming to school, please plan with your child how to park or keep it safe outside of the classroom and use it again after dismissal.

Bring a proper jacket to school: Although summer seems to be on its way to arrive soon, please make sure your child has a proper jacket with him/her when coming to school.

ANAPHYLAXIS ALERT! We have been notified that a child in our Casa community has a life-threatening allergy (anaphylaxis) reaction to dairy. The school is following the VCH guidelines, the family is working with the school, and all AM and PM Preschool and Extended Day are learning about it. Starting in January 2017, teachers and students will be asked to wash their hands vigilantly and regularly, both at North Creek and in the Extended Day classroom at Anchor Point. Please refrain from bringing dairy to the school environment as you introduce your child to anaphylaxis awareness. If dairy is not avoidable, please inform the teachers of the items at the door. It will help us coordinate the classroom to protect all the children. For more information, please visit www.foodallergycanada.ca.
Label Your Children’s Shoes: Please remember to label all your children’s clothing, water bottles and food containers. Thank you.

COMMUNITY NOTICES Check these out!
Community Day | Saturday, June 3, 2017 @ 9:30am to 6:00pm: This annual event at Ambleside Park has activities for all ages including a parade, music & dance stages, food vendors, a kid’s zone and a community day lounge.

Doors Open Richmond | Saturday, June 3 to Sunday, June 4, 2017 @ 10am to4pm: A free weekend-long, city wide public celebration of arts, heritage and culture! One can choose from 42 heritage sites, museums, places of worship, green spaces, specialty business, art galleries and artist studios to visit.

Swim to Survive Day: The Vancouver Park Board is partnering with the Lifesaving Society and the Lifeguard Outreach Society to offer a drowning prevention program. There are 2 FREE 2-hour courses being offered to 2,000 children and youth aged 7-18. One on Saturday, June 10 at Second Beach Pool in Stanley Park, and the other on Sunday, June 11 at New Brighton Pool.

Vancouver International Children’s Festival | Monday, May 29, 2017 – Sunday, June 4, 2017: The 40th annual Vancouver International Children’s Festival is May 29 to June 4 on Granville Island! Enjoy spectacular performances from around the globe for kids and families of all ages. Treat the family to acrobatics, puppetry, theatre, dance, music, and lots of arts activities. Come see your favourite performers like Fred Penner and Charlotte Diamond perform live in concert.

BC Children’s Hospital – Race for the Kids| Sunday, June 4 @ 9am, 2017: A morning at Queen Elizabeth Park of runners and walkers of all ages and abilities will participate in this scenic 5km or 2km fun run. At the end of the route, don’t forget to stay for the carnival celebration with healthy snacks and activities for the whole family.

Project Limelight: OFF THE HOOK | Sunday, June 11, 2017: Check out our very own Tallulah Pantages in OFF THE HOOK, a fresh new take on the classic Peter Pan! This all-ages comedy takes us from East Van to Neverland, where The Lost Boys look for a mother, The Lost Girls look for The Pirates, The Pirates look for Peter, and Peter, he’s just looking for some fun! Fly away with us on this music and dance filled adventure, be ready to ARRRR along with us and make sure you keep an eye out for the Crocodile! OFF THE HOOK offers a magical live theatre experience for the very young and the young at heart!

Discounted Whitecaps FC vs Dallas FC tickets in support of the Heart and Stroke Foundation | Saturday, June 17, 2017: Tickets at the end of the line for $37 vs the usual $49 and you get to support the Heart and Stroke Foundation! June 17th the Whitecaps are playing FC Dallas, come cheer on the home team and support a great cause! For every ticket sold, the Heart and Stroke Foundation will be receiving $10. Invite a friend, or why not go with a large group of friends and family…the more the merrier!

Made in Canada: Inspiring Creativity and Innovation at Science World | Friday, April 21, 2017 – Monday, September 4, 2017: Celebrate Canadian creativity and innovation, with Science World’s original exhibition, Made in Canada, presented by YVR — where you drive the creative process! Get hands-on and build the fastest bobsled, construct a stunning piece of Vancouver architecture and create your own Canadian sound mashup, to share with friends.

Playland at the PNE | Saturday, May 6, 2017 – Friday, September 15, 2017: Playland opens May 6 with three new family rides! Spin your way through a magical land on the new coaster ride, Bug Whirled, peddle your way to the clouds flapping your wings on The Flutterbye, then take the plunge on the marvelous mechanical Dizzy Drop. All three rides will accommodate the entire family, so get ready to share even more memories and screams this coming spring and summer.

What a great turnout we had for our Mother’s Day celebrations! It was a tremendous success and a whole lot of fun! Warmest thanks to all the families who attended our Mother’s Day Talent Show at theDance Centre and Mother’s Day Tea at North Creek. We hope we made your day extra special!

Don’t forget to check new posts on our Facebook page and Full Monte blog!

Wishing all mothers, grandmothers, and caregivers a wonderful Mother’s Day weekend,
The Staff at Lions Gate Montessori

GENERAL NOTICES
Upcoming Dates to Remember
April 5, 12, 19, May 3, 10, 17 | Swimming Lessons
May 15 | LE Yaletown Pet Hospital Visit
May 18 & 19 | Parent/Child Workshops
May 22 | Victoria Day – NO SCHOOL
May 25 & 26 | LE Mini Police Academy
May 31, June 7, 14, 21 | Tennis Lessons
June 1 | LE Nature Detectives at Stanley Park
June 9 | Parent/Teacher Conference
June 16 | Father’s Day/End-of-Year Picnic
June 21 | Graduation

Yearbook Pre-orders: We are thrilled to present our 2016-2017 Yearbook! The Yearbook is comprised of class pictures and individual student photos from both North Creek and Anchor Point. It also includes pictures of special events such as field trips, performances, and guest visits. This yearbook will be a keepsake for your child as well as a great gift for grandparents. To place an order, please fill out the attached form and submit it with your payment no later than Friday, May 19th at 4:30 PM. The cost per book is $20.

Summer Program Information: The Summer Program is divided into two three-week sessions (form attached). Students will continue to work in the Montessori environment with enriched activities in Arts and Crafts; Music and Drama; and Science and Nature. They will also participate in excursions to places and events that are related to the above themes. We intend to have both a preschool and an elementary program for 2 sessions as follows*:
Session 1 │ July 10th to July 28th
Session 2 │ July 31st to August 18th
*** We are pleased to offer Orton-Gillingham lessons with Ms. Sharmeen at our Summer Program. This would be a great opportunity for your child to extend their OG learning throughout the summer. The Orton-Gillingham Approach is an intensive, sequential phonics-based system that teaches the basics of word formation before whole meanings. The method accommodates and utilizes the three learning modalities, or pathways, through which people learn—visual, auditory and kinesthetic. Please contact us if you have any questions!***
*Sessions may be canceled if the minimum enrollment numbers are not met for any given session.

Hot Lunch – June Deadline, Thursday, May 25th, 3 PM: Online payment will be required. Please email us with any questions!

ELEMENTARY & ADOLESCENT COMMUNITY
May 17 | Last Swimming Lesson: All the children will be dismissed at the Aquatic Centre between 3:50 and 4:00 (unless your child is picked up earlier or staying for After School Club). We will leave the Aquatic Centre at 4:00 and will be back in school around 4:15. Children who are picked up after 4:00 will be dismissed at Anchor Point.

May 15 | Yaletown Pet Hospital Visit: The LE students will be going out to Yaletown Pet Hospital on Monday, May 15th at 9:30 – 11:30 AM. We will leave the school promptly at 9:15 AM. Yaletown Pet Hospital is a full-service veterinary clinic and is currently the only veterinary clinic south of Granville Street serving the downtown core of Vancouver. This going-out is free.

May 18 | Parent/Child Workshop: Anchor Point students will hold their Parent/Child Workshops on Thursday, May 18th. This is an opportunity for your child to show you some of the work they have been doing at school. While regular dismissal at 4 pm is in effect, each family is invited to return at their assigned time slot for the event. Each session is 20 minutes. As it is otherwise a regular school day, please pick up your child as usual and return to your scheduled time slot.
A schedule with assigned time slots for the Lower Elementary families is posted at the Anchor Point door. Upper Elementary families are welcome to choose a time slot on the sign-up sheet at the door. Please do not hesitate to let us know if you are unable to attend the Parent-Child Workshop and would like to reschedule.

May 25 & 26 | Mini Police Academy: The LE students will be going out to the Vancouver Police Museum for a Mini Police Academy activity on Thursday and Friday, May 25th & May 26th at 10:00 – 11:30 AM. They will be divided into 2 groups: Grade 1’s will go on Thursday while Grades 2-3’s will go on Friday. This program combines a museum discovery scavenger hunt, show and tell to introduce youngsters to policing, dress-up time in police uniforms, and art activities. Please return your child’s permission slips to the school.

May 31, June 7, 14, 21 | Tennis Lessons: Elementary students will participate in Tennis Lessons on Wednesdays starting on May 31st at 1:00 – 3:00 PM at David Lam Park, East Tennis Courts.

June 1 | Nature Detectives at Stanley Park: The LE students are going out to Stanley Park for a Nature Detectives program on Thursday, June 1st at 10 AM – 11:30 AM. Discover the hidden secrets and stories of the forest in this sensory journey through nature. Awaken your senses as you explore the temperate rainforest. Find tiny life forms with magnifiers, meet bugs, feed trees, and transform into a bat while learning how all of these forest elements are connected. There is a small fee of $12 per child to participate in the activity. Please return your child’s permission slips to the school.

June 9 | Parent/Teacher Conference: Our Parent/Teacher Conferences will take place on Friday, June 9th.  Please note that there is no school for the children on that day. There will be sign-up sheets posted at North Creek and Anchor Point doors to book your appointment.

June 16 | Father’s Day/End-of-Year Picnic: As the end of the school year is approaching, we would like to confirm the dates for Father’s Day and End-of-Year picnic celebrations. Details will follow soon.

June 21 | Graduation: The ceremony for children graduating from Kindergarten and Grade 7 will be at North Creek and Anchor Point respectively. Kindergarten graduation will be at 2:45 PM at North Creek and Grade 7 graduation will be at 2:00 PM at Anchor Point.
Lulu Island and Outdoor Excursions: Grades 4 to 7 students will begin visiting Lulu Island starting Monday, April 10th (weather permitting). Please ensure your child(ren) come to school that day with his/her compass card. In addition, they will also be enjoying outdoor excursions every Friday (weather permitting).

HEALTHY SNACK REMINDER: Active and engaged students do better eating wholesome foods, please refrain from sending sugary or highly processed foods to school

CASA COMMUNITY (PRE-SCHOOL & EXTENDED-DAY)
Urban Safari Rescue Society visits North Creek!: There is a small fee of $7 per child (Preschool & Extended-day) to participate in the activity to bring USRS to the classroom. Information is on the attached permission form. Please return the completed form with payment to North Creek by Wednesday, May 17th. USRS will be coming on Friday, June 2nd to both morning & afternoon classrooms with animals to present to our students.

Extended-day and Kindergarten Outings: “Going-Outs” play a significant role in the education of extended-day children as they are beginning to enter their next stage of development. Please see the attached permission form for details and return it to school by Wednesday, May 17th.

Parent/Child Workshop – Friday evening, May 19th: Parent/Child Workshop is an after school event. Please return to school with your child to share this special moment with him/her. Your child will  show you some of the work he or she has been doing at school in a more personal setting. Each session is 20 minutes.  A schedule with assigned time slots is posted by the North Creek doors.  Please let the teacher(s) know if you wish to switch to a different time to fit your schedule. You are welcome to reschedule if necessary. Please email to northcreek@lionsgatemontessori .org.

Bring a proper jacket to school: Although Spring has arrived and some days seem to be warmer than others, please make sure your child(ren) has a proper jacket when they come to school.

ANAPHYLAXIS ALERT! We have been notified that a child in our Casa community has a life-threatening allergy (anaphylaxis) reaction to dairy. The school is following the VCH guidelines, the family is working with the school, and all AM and PM Preschool and Extended Day are learning about it. Starting in January 2017, teachers and students will be asked to wash their hands vigilantly and regularly, both at North Creek and in the Extended Day classroom at Anchor Point. Please refrain from bringing dairy to the school environment as you introduce your child to anaphylaxis awareness. If dairy is not avoidable, please inform the teachers of the items at the door. It will help us coordinate the classroom to protect all the children. For more information, please visit www.foodallergycanada.ca.
Label Your Children’s Shoes: Please remember to label all your children’s clothing, water bottles and food containers. Thank you.

COMMUNITY NOTICES Check these out!
Made in Canada: Inspiring Creativity and Innovation at Science World | Friday, April 21, 2017 – Monday, September 4, 2017: Celebrate Canadian creativity and innovation, with Science World’s original exhibition, Made in Canada, presented by YVR — where you drive the creative process! Get hands-on and build the fastest bobsled, construct a stunning piece of Vancouver architecture and create your own Canadian sound mashup, to share with friends.

Playland at the PNE | Saturday, May 6, 2017 – Friday, September 15, 2017: Playland opens May 6 with three new family rides! Spin your way through a magical land on the new coaster ride, Bug Whirled, peddle your way to the clouds flapping your wings on The Flutterbye, then take the plunge on the marvelous mechanical Dizzy Drop. All three rides will accommodate the entire family, so get ready to share even more memories and screams this coming spring and summer.

Mother’s Day at VanDusen Botanical Garden | Sunday, May 14, 2017: Why buy mom flowers when you can give her a garden? This Mother’s Day, bring mom for a walk through the 55-acre, VanDusen Botanical Garden and experience a spectacular display of rhododendrons, azaleas, dogwoods and lilacs! Pick up lunch at Truffles Café and enjoy live music in the garden, make a reservation to dine at Shaughnessy Restaurant or bring a picnic. Regular garden admission applies.

Mistatim: A Theatrical Experience for Children & Families | Saturday, May 13, 1:00pm: A tale about the truest of friendships, Mistatim is an intercultural story of reconciliation that combines dance, theatre, mask, and music into one unforgettable experience. A production of Red Sky Performance. Recommended for ages 7 and up. FREE at the Festival Tent on the QE Plaza.

Foundational Language: Meaningful Communication from Birth | Saturday, May 13, 2017: Guided by AMI Assistants to Infancy Director of Training, Maria Teresa Vidales, please join her in the beautiful model of the specially prepared Home and Infant Toddler Centre environments to explore the critical importance of the quality and quantity of language that surrounds the newborn and infant. Please bring your own lunch to this wonderful charity event as we give back to our community!
Location: AMI Assistants to Infancy Campus, 1410 Nanton Avenue, Vancouver
Date: May 13, 2017
Time: 10 am to 3pm
Cost: register by donation through eventbrite, or donation at the door.
All proceeds to benefit the Neonatal Care Unit at BC Children’s Hospital, or the MTCBC Student Scholarship Fund.
RSVP: angela@mtcbc-ami.org